Coin opeeated vending machine



5 Sheets-V-She-et L Patented Aug. 11, 1891.

(No Model.)

AI GOIN OPERATED VBNDING MACHINE.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets- Sheet 2. A. BRAU. GOIN OPERATED VENDING MACHINE.

No. 457,700. Patented Aug. 11, 1891.

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(No Model.) 5 sheets-sheet 3. A. BRAU. GOIN UPERATBD VENDING MACHINE. No.457,'700. Patented Aug. 1l, 1891'.

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(No Model.)l 5 Sheets-Sheet 4. Y

A. BRAU. COIN OPERATBD VENDING MAGHINE.

No. 457,700. Patented Aug. l1, 1891.

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lorneys UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALPHONS BRU, OF AMBERG, GERMANY.

COIN-OPERATED VENDING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 457,700, dated vAugust 11, 1891.

Application iiled March 9, 1891. Seria1No.384,253. (No model.) n

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALPHONS BRU, overman, of Amberg, in the Kingdom of Bavaria and German Empire, have invented new and useful Improvements in Coin-Operated Tending-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to automatically deliver postage-stamps and other simi?v lar articles, such as railway, theatrical, and other tickets, checks, or passes, postal-cards, postal-orders, and commercial articles of similar size, these articles being delivered free when the mechanism which holds them fast is released by the insertion of a definite coin in an opening provided for the purpose in the apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a side sectional view of a machine in which two of my improved delivery mechanisms are joined together. Fig. II is a front view of the same. Fig. III is a transverse section on line .fr y of Fig. I. Fig. IVshows the form of drum used for the insertion of two coins for` effecting the release of the mechanism and corresponding funnel-shaped coin-receptacles m m. Fig. V illustrates a drum designed to, receive three coins and provided with a simiable manner to a vertical wall a3 by means of the brackets s, or which may, if desirable, be placed upon a suitable stand. An upright frame b, arranged on the inside of the casing a', supports a lever a, which is bored throughout its length and capable of oscil- -lating, being pivoted or suspended between f the clear width of the slide f 12, and the prothe pointed screws b3. The shorter arm of this lever a is provided with a tubular extension a2, which incloses a spring t for firmly holding in position a rod t, passing centrally -through the lever, while the other or longer varm of the lever a is provided with a drum e to receive the coin as it is dropped from the receptacle m.

The horizontal arm b of .the uprightframe b is furnished with a set-screw c, by means of which the tension of the spiral spring d can be regulated by a key inserted through the opening 7' ofthe frame-work ct. This spring CZ bears at one end against the set-screw c and at the other against the extension a2. A lever d2 is mounted and oscillates on the aXis d of the upright arm b2 and has projectionsd3 and d* bent at right angles, as illustrated. A spiral spring e4 is connected at one end to aprojection d5 of the arm d3, its other end being affixed to the arm b of the upright frame b. The projections cl3 and d* engage at the required instant with a device, hereinafter more fully described, to regulate the delivery ofthe postage-stamps, tickets, or other 4 articles to be disposed of. The drum e, serv-V ingto receive the coins and mounted upon the longer arm of the double lever a, consists of a cylinder furnished with a slot e', into which the .coin drops, and with another slot e3, formed in the lower half of the cylinder,

through which the coin falls and escapes into the compartment beneath. A slide fl2 is ar ranged in thedrum e and carries the platef7, (see Fig. VIIL) the forks f6 and f8 of which are capable of turning upon the axes f5 and f4- and which .are held in predetermined posi-A spring 7c', the extremities of which are respectively fixed to the slide f12 and to the plate f 11. The said slide f 1L-is capable of sliding in the cylinder or drum; e, and is guided by `the casing formed by the two plates f10 and 11. The diameter of the plate f 11 is equal to jections g and g of the same are bentat right angles. Theplate]10 is also furnished with projections g2 Q3, bent at right angles IOO fis

tagether by screws f15, which likewise x them in the drum. The drum further contains the plate f3, furnished with a central opening g5 and two projections g10 gli. This last plate isfirmly held in connection with the rear wall e2 of the drum e by the pins g6 g?, screwed through the plate f3, and is under the control of the springs g8 g. The rod fi passes through the rear wall e2 of the drum and is inclosedin the tubulaior hollow lever a, as hereinbefore described, its outer end carrying the fork h, the prongs of which have a tendency to enter the openingg5 of the plate f3 or an arm 0l', which, like the frame fw, supports the two forks Z4 Z5, arranged on one side thereof, oscillating upon the two axes i2 715 and held by springs in a suitable position against the arm t. The lower half of the drum e is provided with the slot e5, through which the coin is dropped into the coin-box. The frame f12 carries the point Za, upon which a pusher Z is capable of operating, the latter being located in an extension Z of the framework or casing a and held by the spring Z2 in a predetermined position, limited by the collar Z5.

Above the drum is arranged an opening for coins, consisting of a funnel m, mounted upon the frame or casing a in such a manner that the opening or outlet m of the same is situated exactly above the slot e in the drum e. Mounted in the funnel m are the extremities of an axis m', carrying four radiating blades m2 m5 m4 m5, which turn freely therewith. The coin is inserted in the slot mi.

The improved mechanism for carrying the supply of postage-stamps, tickets, and the like is constructed in the following mannerthat is to say, upon a plate n, furnished upon its face with needles n2, are placed the articles which are to be delivered. This plate has formed on its edge at suitable distances apart a number of projections or teeth n. The plate n, thus furnished with articles for sale, is introduced in the slot n4 of the casing a and firmly held therein by the arms CZ3 of the lever d2, these arms being connected together by the cross-bars d5 cZ7 (see Fig. III) and normally held in this position by the spring e4. The part of the plate 'n protruding through the slot n4 is surrounded byacasing h5, which isV xed upon the back plate a3 of the apparatus. The casing. a carries immediately in front of the slot n4 the inclined or slanting plate o, which comes into contact with the plate n at its free extremity. The space or receptacle p is designed to receive the coins as they drop from the drum e.

The action ot' the machine is as follows: When the apparatus is in its normal position,

the lever a is not in horizontal position, as shown in the drawings, the arm carrying the drum e being, on the contrary, a little higher. As soon, however, as the coin representing the value ofthe article which is to be purchased is inserted in the slot m7 it falls into the drum e and re-establishes the equilibrium of the lever-that is to say, brings it in such a position that the pusher Z when operated Strikes the point Zo of the drum c and pushes forward the slide f 12, so that the forks f6 and f8 of this frame bear firmly upon the dropped coin and move at the same time the forks i4 and 5 of the rod z'. This rod i, by overcoming the power of the springt, causes the lever d2, oscillating upon the axis CZ', to release the teeth n of the plate 91., which slides down until the arms Z3 are brought again into play under the action of the spring e4, and thus arrest the motion of the plate n. The stamps held by the needles n2 are released as the plate n moves downward, owing to their being caught by the slanting plate o. These stamps or other articles for sale are thus placed upon the plate o, from whence they can be readily obtained by the purchaser. Vhen the pressure on the knob of the pusherZ is withdrawn, the same is brought back into its normal posit-ion by the spring Z2, in consequence whereof the slide f1() and forks f6 and f8, which now release the coin, are likewise brought back by the spring L into their former position. The spring t now pushes forward the rod z', with the forks i4 5, and the coin is laidin front of the plate f3. As the coin passes by the slot e5 it falls through the same into the storage-receptacle 19.

Vhen the machine is used for the sale of articles the price of which has to be paid for by means of diiferent coins-for instance, one-cent and two-cent stamps-the said machine is provided with a drum having two or three slots e to receive the coins and an equal number of slots e3 to allowthem to drop through, While a corresponding numberof funnel-shaped receptacle-3 fm are also provided. The said drums are in such cases arranged as follows: Upon the slide ff", furnished with a point la and the movable forks f6 and f8, the prongs of which have a tendency to press upon the disk f1", is further mounted a disk z, (see Fig. IX,) having four openings e t0 allow for the entrance of the four prongs z2 sa, two of which extend to the left and two to the right hand side, and the rack 26, holding the two forks, is fixed to the disk by the pins 5*. The disk z5 is fixed to the drum e by means of its projections, which are bent at right angles, and of the screws Z7. The rack .e5 is movable laterally, as Well as the disk a, and is firmly held in position by the springs 58. The forks z2 53, which oscillate on the axes y y', are also held in corresponding and determined positions by the springs g3. The disk .e5 is furnished with two notches or openings 'g4 and @/5, through which the righthand prongs of the forks e2 z5 nearest to the pin e4 have a tendency to meet, while the right-hand prongs farthest from the pin .e4 can move over the periphery of the disk e5,

IOO

IIO

which has for this purpose a less diameter .e follows also the second slot m, through which the second coin is dropped, and this slot (as well as in thedrum arranged for the reception of only one coin) is limited by the plate 5 f3, furnished with an opening 'g5 and projections g g and connected to the rear wall c2 of the drum by screw-pins passing through the said plate f3, which is controlled or held in position by the springs g8 g. The rod i, with the arm i', carrying' the two forks 4 i5 on one side, is inserted, as in the drum hereinbefore described, through the rear wall e2 of this drum. The lower half of the drum e is furnished with the two slots e3 e3, through which the coins drop into the storage part p of the casing.

The mode of operation of adrum arranged for the insertion of two coins is as follows: After the latter have both been dropped, on the pusher Z being actuated the same pushes forward the slide f12 of the drum e, the forks f6 f8 of which press in consequence against the coin inserted through the slot e and move the same forward, as well as the disk z and the rack ze, furnished with forks, which rack seizes hold of the second coin and pushes it along, the latter on its part pushing `the arm t" of the rod 2'. The rod t' now releases the levers holding the stamp-plate n, and when 3o the pressure is removed from the pusher -l p the mechanism moves back, and on its return stroke the inserted coins are freed by the respective forks, so as to be able to drop through the slots e3 of the drum e into the receptacle below.V If it is desired that the machine should allow of the insertion of three coins, three funnel-shaped receptacles m are provided and plates z z5, rack e6, with forks z2 z3, are arranged before the arm t" of the rod t'. The drum e then has another slot upon its upper half for the insertion of another coin, and a corresponding slot on its lower half to allow the said coin to drop through into the storage space or receptacle.

When instead of postage-stamps other objects-such as postal-cards, railway, omnibus, and theatrical tickets, checks, or passes, or commercial articles of similar size-are required to be sold, the plate n is accordingly dierently constructed-that is to say, is furnished with divisions, compartments, orchambers, in each of which is placed one of the articles for sale, and the slot fn* is enlarged to allow of the passage of corresponding 55 Vplates fn, the inclined plate 0 being dispensed with, while the double levers d2 are connected together by cross-bars d 17 of a length corresponding to the width of the compartments or chambers w.

The apparatus operates exactly as above described.

In the casing a is arranged an opening u, closed by a glass pane, through which the position of the lever a may be controlled by means of an index u', carried by tho drum e.

The coin-box p is opened or closed by the key t.

Figs. II and III show two corresponding delivery mechanisms surrounded by one common casing for the delivery of various stamps or checks; but several such delivery mechanisms may be likewise inclosed in one common casing, each separate mechanism being constructed in exactly the same manner as if it were furnished with a distinct casing.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a coin-operated vending-machine, the combination, with a slotted funnel-shaped coin receptacle having a transverse shaft therein provided with radial arms, of a hollow longitudinally-ranging lever pivoted to rock vertically in the casing of the machine, a slotted coin-receiving drum on the outer end of said lever, a spring-cushioned rod sliding in said lever, plates on said rod provided with prongs to engage coins enteringthe drum, and a spring-pusher for operating said rod, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a coin-operated vending-machine, the

combination, with a hollowvlongitudinallyn ranging lever pivoted to rock verticallyin the casing of the machine, a slotted coin-receiving drum on the outer end of said lever, a spring-cushioned rod sliding in said leverprovided with pronged plates to engage coins entering the drum, and means, substantially as shown, for operating said rod, of an angular spring-pressed lever pivoted in the path of said rod, and a goods-carrying plate sliding in the path of the said lever and having projections engaged thereby, substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

ALPHONS BRAU. Witnesses:

JOSEF SOLLEDER, HAMMER LORENZ. 

